The Most Beautiful Places to Travel This Fall

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Fall is a magical time of year, one filled with spiritual significance and natural beauty. Autumn represents the shift from the busy heat of summer to the cooler, more contemplative months, when you’re more likely to find yourself sipping tea by the fireside than running and playing along the sun-drenched beach.

Beginning in late September in the Northern Hemisphere, nature begins to wreathe herself in color. Some places, however, grow more beautiful than others.

These are the places where foliage has been left mostly untouched—where the geometric forms of man have yet to overtake the flowing lines of nature. These are also the places which are full of the kinds of trees which are most beautiful in fall—trees like sugar maple, sweetgum, and sassafras. These trees turn brilliant shades of red, yellow, and orange as the weather cools, putting on a natural fireworks display that never gets old, no matter how many autumns you’ve been through.

If you find yourself in want of a vacation this fall, or simply want to take a weekend road trip to take in the sights, these gorgeous spots should be on your list. To help you decide where to go, let’s take a look at the 7 most beautiful places to travel this fall.

Shenandoah National Park, VA

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In the fall, there’s nothing like Shenandoah National Park. One of Virginia’s most scenic areas, this national park includes a segment of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and is about 124 square miles in size—there’s plenty to see here.

The most prominent feature of the park—and the one you’ll most want to explore in the fall—is its scenic Skyline Drive. This 105-mile road runs the entire length of the park, keeping to the ridge of the mountains in order to bring drivers some truly stunning views of the land below.

The drive includes a rock tunnel, numerous overlook pull-offs, and picnic areas—everything you need for a day of beautiful fall fun.

The price for this drive isn’t too steep, either—25 dollars will net you unlimited entrances within a 7-day period, and an annual park pass can be had for 40 dollars. If you want to spend a day looking down at colorful maples, birch, ash, and basswood trees from the mountaintops, make the Shenandoah National Park your destination this fall.

Sleepy Hollow, NY

Believe it or not, the little town of Sleepy Hollow, the setting of Washington Irving’s 1820 short story, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” is a real place. And in the fall, it’s as beautiful as it is spooky.

Awash in history and natural splendor, the tree-lined paths of this town lie less than an hour’s drive from Manhattan, yet feel as if they belong in another world. Irving, in his story, referred to Sleepy Hollow as one of the quietest places in the whole world,” and a place where a “drowsy, dreamy influence seems to hang over the land."

Here, the numerous broad-leaved trees of Sleepy Hollow’s forests take on an incredible range of color, and if you dare, you can pay a visit to the town’s Festival of Witches, the Psychic Fair, or the Sleepy Hollow Witch’s Ball.

If you’re interested in history, spookiness, and gorgeous fall colors, give Sleepy Hollow a try. You might just come across the infamous Headless Horseman while wandering the mist-filled woodland trails.

Stowe, VT

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If any town were to be crowed the fall capital of America, Stowe would be among the top contenders. In autumn, the hillsides in this small spot in Vermont ignite into a blaze of red, gold, and orange, the intensity of which is unlike anything you might have seen.

Fans of The Sound of Music might be excited to learn that Stowe is where the real-life Von Trapp family settled and bought a farm, where they ran a music camp on the property when not on tour.

Besides gazing at the colorful maple, birch, and elm trees, you can ward off the autumn chill with a sip of Stowe Cider before taking a walk among the town’s many mountain paths. And if you’re feeling up for a treat, just a few miles down the road is the Ben & Jerry’s factory, where you can take a guided tour of the famous ice cream facility.

Stowe is the perfect getaway for those who want the very best nature has to offer in the fall, and has some added bonuses for those willing to explore this important little town.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN

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The Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee is widely considered one of the best locations in the South for beautiful autumn foliage.

With the most spectacular displays falling between mid-October and early November, this national park’s enormous diversity of trees—there are over 100 native species here—and huge elevation changes create an explosion of varying colors that won’t leave you bored.

The higher elevations of the park exposes trees to a climate not unlike that of New England’s, and the tops of the mountains are often awash in yellow and gold. The middle elevations are a band of fiery reds and oranges, made so by expanses of black gum and red maple. Finally, the lower elevations are a sea of gentle red, courtesy of dogwood trees and Virginia creeper.

As fall goes on, these colors travel down the mountainside from high to low, giving viewers a unique opportunity to, literally, see fall in action in this beautiful national park.

Boston Common, MA

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Dating from 1634, Boston Common is the oldest city park in America, and its 50-acre landscape has some of the most spectacular autumn views you can find.

With its rich golds, yellows, and reds set against the Boston skyline, this is the place to be during late September and throughout October. Some of the tree varieties in the park change color early, and so sporadic splashes of color infuse the otherwise green park in the weeks leading up to autumn.

While you’re there, you can visit Beacon Hill, a neighborhood that’s full of 19^thcentury charm. While there, you can grab a hot coffee or cider from the many cafes along Cambridge and Charles streets.

Admission is free, and the surrounding city is fascinating, so if you want to experience the beauty of fall while remaining steps from a wide variety of things to do, look no further than Boston Common.

Salem, MA

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For another spooky autumn getaway, try Salem, Massachusetts. The site of the infamous 1692 Salem Witch Trials has some truly beautiful fall foliage.

In October, thousands of people travel to this town to celebrate Halloween in style, going on haunted tours, witchcraft-themed boat rides, and visiting creepy, historic spots. But if you step away from the bustle of the Halloween-themed events for a moment, you’ll find that Salem is a place of immense autumn beauty.

Find the right walking routes in Salem, where the trees hang above beautiful historic buildings, and you’ll soon feel like you’re back in the 17^th century. Here, the glorious reds and yellows of the trees blend with the dark wood and stone of the ancient houses, churches, and lighthouses, creating a gorgeous, antique texture.

If you head to Salem this fall, take a moment to step away from the crowd and the spectacle, and enjoy the history and leafy beauty. You won’t regret it.

Asheville, NC

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Asheville has achieved nationwide recognition for a variety of reasons, including its fantastic art scene, its happy residents, and its high-quality breweries, but one of this city’s best features is its romantic fall foliage.

Asheville’s fall leaf show attracts visitors from all around the world, and for good reason. Depending on the weather, mid-to-late October is the best time to visit this city. During this time, the sugar maples, beech, and poplar trees, amongst many others, explode into color along the valleys and mountainsides of the surrounding regions.

While you’re enjoying the scenery, you can also take advantage of Asheville’s corn mazes, drink fresh pumpkin brew ale, drive the stunning Blue Ridge Parkway, pick fresh apples, or go pick your own pumpkin for carving.

If you’re feeling truly adventurous, you can enjoy Asheville’s autumn beauty via hot air balloon ride in the Hominy Valley, where you’ll float above the Smokey and Blue Ridge Mountains.

Asheville lives up to its reputation as one of the best places to live and visit in America, and fall only makes it better.